


An Offer to Float

by patchfire, raving_liberal



Series: Story of Three Boys [125]
Category: Glee
Genre: M/M, Movie Creation, Moving, OT3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-23
Updated: 2013-05-23
Packaged: 2017-12-12 18:10:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/814485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/patchfire/pseuds/patchfire, https://archiveofourown.org/users/raving_liberal/pseuds/raving_liberal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are lots of changes, but they're all good ones.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Offer to Float

By the day after New Year’s, Kurt and Noah manage to rearrange the schedules at the Nederlander and for themselves enough that they can use it to write and work on other projects. Noah has about half of the strays, as Kurt still insists on calling them, at the theatre, and the others are still coexisting with Eliza. Their hours have never overlapped perfectly with Finn’s schedule, but all of them manage to sit down for dinner at the same time, most nights, and Kurt and Noah start slipping out of the theatre just after the start of the second act, more nights than not. 

Everything that they’re doing in their personal life is good and, as Kurt says, joyful, but there is a lot. They hadn’t been wrong about needing to make sure they balanced all the relationships, and there’s all three of the kids, too. So while the extra trip down to the Nederlander and back each day to work isn’t optimal, it does let them spend the time at home actually being at home. 

The Wednesday of the first full week of January feels routine, overall; they take care of a few business things for _Milk_ , then work on other projects, and Kurt’s gone to get lunch when the phone rings. 

“Nederlander Theatre, this is Noah.”

“The illustrious Mr. Hummel, I presume?” says Artie’s voice.

“People either know me or they don’t,” Noah agrees. “What’s up, Artie?”

“Lauren and I have been tossing around a little project idea, and we have an offer to float you, if you’re interested in hearing it,” Artie says. 

“Okay,” Noah says, a little bit curious. “What kind of offer?”

“On the heels of the success of the _Wicked_ and _Book of Mormon_ films at the box office, we have this crazy idea that you and Kurt might like to see _Milk_ on the big screen,” Artie explains. 

Noah blinks. Considering the overall success of Dustin Lance Black’s film version of _Milk_ , making a movie of their _Milk_ wasn’t something that Kurt or he had ever seriously thought about. “Really?” he blurts. “Like… full-scale?”

“Full-scale,” Artie says. “We have a studio that’s interested. The musical has continued to do so well, the money guys seem to think it would be a good investment.”

“How much involvement would we have?” Noah asks. “Because you know K’s going to want to keep his finger on any writing changes. And I can’t say I wouldn’t want the same with changes to the music.”

“We’d want you two to write the screenplay, possibly executive producer credits. Legal could iron all of that out with Tina, of course,” Artie says.

“Okay.” Noah nods, even though Artie can’t see him. “Original cast, recasting, or some kind of combination? I know for _Wicked_ they waited a little too long to use most of the original cast, but they were able to use more with _Book of Mormon_ and even back with _Rent_.”

“Probably a mix,” Artie says. “We’d look at everyone’s availability, of course, but we know that at least a few from the original cast probably won’t end up in the film.”

Noah holds back a snort, because if that wasn’t a veiled reference to Rachel, he’d be very surprised. “Gotcha. You want to send over a few details and I’ll talk it over with Kurt? And I guess have the legal wonks go ahead and send stuff to Tina to look over.” 

“Sounds good. I’ll be in touch.”

“Okay. Thanks, Artie.” Noah ends the call and leans back in his chair, thinking. The additional exposure certainly couldn’t hurt, and while they definitely don’t _need_ the money, since they’ll be looking to move, it also couldn’t hurt. 

 

Noah waits until after the kids are asleep that night to bring up Artie’s call. The three of them are in the bedroom, sitting on the bed, and each of them has a glass of wine. “So I got a phone call from Artie today,” Noah says after a moment. 

“At work?” Kurt asks, and Noah nods. 

“Him and Lauren finally getting hitched?” Finn asks.

“He didn’t mention a wedding,” Noah says. “Far as I know they’re still living twenty minutes away from each other. No, he and Lauren want to know if we’re interested in doing a movie version of _Milk_.”

Kurt looks about as surprised as Noah figures he did earlier. “Really? A full-scale musical?”

“Can I be in the movie?” Finn asks. 

“You know, since you didn’t get nominated for that special Tony, we could put you in the credits,” Noah offers with a grin. “And yeah, full-scale. He’s sending some stuff about it and some to Tina, too.” 

“Do we get to go to Los Angeles? Can we go to Disneyland?” Finn wants to know. “Can we take the kids to the Hollywood sign?”

Kurt grins and laughs. “The kids would probably enjoy Disneyland more than the Hollywood sign. But are we talking—”

“We’d write the screenplay,” Noah interrupts him. “I asked about that. And executive producing credits or something. Mix of original cast and some parts recast. I’m guessing we’re not looking at filming starting for a while, though.”

“So… which parts would be recast?” Finn asks. 

“I’m thinking we’d actually luck out with the big names, since it’d be a short time commitment. But the age issue is going to come into play with some of them.” Noah smirks a little. “Let’s be honest, like Anne.”

“Such a shame,” Kurt says. 

“What about Jamie or Leslie, though?” Finn asks. “I mean, I know it’s one thing in the musical, but are the Hollywood types going to have a problem with black actors playing people who are not-black in real life? ’Cause I like Jamie and Leslie.”

Noah shrugs. “I don’t know, but I think they should stay. I mean, we don’t know what Jack would’ve thought, but remember the real Danny sent that really nice card and those prints to Leslie. Clearly _he_ didn’t take issue with it.” 

“Yes, I don’t think there should be an issue,” Kurt agrees. “After all, they still occasionally cast a white actor in a role that should be played by someone Asian or Indian or black.” 

“Maybe we can rent a bungalow,” Finn says. “I’m still not sure what that is, but I think they have them in California.”

“I think it’s something on a beach, darling,” Kurt says. 

“Are you thirty-one or eight?” Noah teases Finn. “Just don’t ask ‘are we there yet?’ on the plane.”

“Nah, I’ll have you guys to keep me entertained,” Finn says. “Well, and the kids, I guess. So one of us’ll stay with the kids, and the other two can be entertained!”

Noah laughs. “Yeah, it is a long flight. Sure you wouldn’t rather just watch the in-flight movie?” 

“I don’t think they have _those_ kinds of movies on a plane,” Finn says.

“Such a shame.” Kurt laughs. “So surprising, too.”

“Not even in first class?” Noah shakes his head. “Oh, don’t forget we’re meeting Marguerite on Monday.” 

“Which one’s Marguerite? Cleaners, money, or house?” Finn asks. “Or legal? Is she another lawyer? How many lawyers do we have, anyway?”

“Realtor,” Kurt answers. “And I stopped counting the lawyers. I bet we have to get another one for real estate, too.” 

“I don’t understand why Syd can’t just be my lawyer for everything,” Finn says. 

“Stop whining,” Noah says with a smirk. “And you know why. She wouldn’t have time to do anything else. Also because she’s apparently glad not to practice every type of law. Remember?” 

“She could make an exception for me,” Finn grumbles. “I would make an exception for _her_.”

“But she doesn’t particularly need therapy,” Kurt says. 

“Everyone needs therapy,” Noah offers, setting his now–empty wine glass down and lying back against the pillows. “Or at least that’s what Hannah says I think.”

“Did you tell the realtor about the tubs?” Finn asks.

“Tubs, location, studio space, and that Hannah would be very upset with us if our kitchen wasn’t up to par.” Noah laughs. “I can just see her face, actually.” 

“And she didn’t immediately laugh or turn us away as clients?” Kurt smiles ruefully. “I’m sure we’re not her typical client.”

“And none of that low ceiling stuff, either,” Finn says. “I want my head to clear the top of the door frame by at least an inch.”

“Probably a good plan,” Kurt agrees, reaching over and running his hand through Finn’s hair. “No low ceiling fans, either.”

“Knew there was a reason to be glad to be the short one,” Noah says. 

“Please, you _love_ being the short one,” Finn says. “You always make me get the stuff off the high shelves.”

“So does K,” Noah argues. “What’s that got to do with this supposed love of being the short one?”

“Noah has a point,” Kurt says. “But Finn’s right, baby, you do love being the short one.”

“See? I’m right! Noooooah is short and he loves it,” Finn says, grinning at Noah. 

“Shut up, asshole,” Noah retorts, letting his head fall back. 

“Make me, asshole,” Finn says. “Make me if you can reach me.”

Noah reaches out and whacks his hand against Finn’s leg. “Like that?”

“You two.” Kurt shakes his head.

“We’re your favorites,” Finn says. 

 

Noah stops just around the corner from Eliza's classroom to retie his shoelaces. The door is open, though, and it's not hard for Noah to pick out Eliza's voice. 

"And then my papa's going to pick me up." Noah starts a little, then grins to himself, and he leans against the wall after standing up, to see what she says next. 

"You mean your dad?" another kid says. 

"No." Eliza sounds like she's shaking her head. "Not my dad. My papa. I have my dad, my daddy, and my papa."

Noah's grin gets wider. Harvey and Charlie never had to call them anything but Papa, Dad, and Daddy, because of their age, but Eliza's been calling him and Kurt 'Puck' and either 'Kurt' or 'Uncle Kurt' for about four years, ever since she could talk. She's still not addressed either of them directly as 'Papa' or 'Daddy', but naming them that way seems pretty significant to Noah. 

Noah knows it's unlikely they could ever get Rachel to just sign the girls over, and even if she ever would, three–parent adoptions where two of the listed parties aren't biologically related still aren't something he's heard about. Legally, Noah knows Eliza will most likely never be considered his or Kurt's daughter, but she's been theirs since she was born, and now they can be a little more clear about that. 

Hearing Eliza actually refer to them that way, though— it's a little unexpected and feels pretty good. Noah pushes off the wall and goes the rest of the way to Eliza's classroom, stopping in the doorway. "Hey, sweet potato."

"Puck!" Eliza smiles at him and then looks over at the girl next to her, Eliza's eyebrow raised in a perfect imitation of Kurt. "I'm ready!"

"I can see that," Noah responds, taking Eliza's hand. "You got all your stuff?"

"Yep. Can we stop and get something on the way?"

"Something?" Noah says, trying not to smile. "Something like… hot chocolate?"

Eliza giggles and nods. "Can we? Please?"

"How about _after_ we look at paint, and we'll get something for everybody, okay?" 

"Okay." Eliza spends the ride back up to the Upper West Side telling Noah about her day at school, and then they head towards the paint store. Picking out a thing or two every week or so should help channel Eliza's excitement, or at least that was their theory. Once she figures out a color for her room, Finn'll take her sometime to pick out furniture, and Kurt'll help with the bed and all of the other decorating stuff. 

"Any ideas on what you want?" Noah asks Eliza as they walk in. 

"Something… purple, maybe," Eliza says, and she initially picks out a bright deep purple. 

"I don't think that'll work on the walls, Eliza," Noah points out. "Maybe something lighter?" Eliza pouts for a minute, and Noah shakes his head. "Not going to work, sweet potato."

"Please?"

"Nope. What about that one?" Noah points to a lighter shade, and Eliza shakes her head. 

"I don't like that name."

"That name, huh?" Noah laughs. "What about this one, then?"

"Wishing well," Eliza reads carefully. "Is that right? Did I read it right?"

"You did," Noah agrees, kneeling down beside her. "That's exactly right. Should we go buy it?"

"Yes!" After the paint is mixed and paid for, Noah tells the store where and who to deliver it to, with the right note about which room it's for, and they give Eliza a stirring stick with the end coated in her selected color. 

"Ready to go get a treat?" Noah asks, and Eliza nods. He'd been planning on stopping to get something for all of them anyway, so her request for hot chocolate had played nicely into his plans. 

"Yes! Can I get a grown-up size?"

Noah laughs and picks her up. "Are you a grown-up size girl? Last I checked, you were only five, Miss Eliza."

"That's half of ten!"

"You're smart," Noah says, "but you still don't get a grown-up size."

Four cups, a drink carrier, two cookies, and about fifteen minutes later, the two of them arrive home, and Noah knocks with his foot. “Let us in!” he calls. 

The door opens a moment later to reveal Finn. “Hey, did you pick a paint?” he asks Eliza.

“I did!” Eliza brandishes her paint stick. “It’s called ‘wishing well’. I wanted a really pretty purple, but my Puck said it was too dark!”

“It was pretty dark,” Noah says. “This’ll be better with the sun coming in.” 

Finn steps out of the doorway so Noah and Eliza can come into the apartment. “Is one of those drinks for me, or did you let Eliza start a coffee habit?”

“They’re for Eliza and the Peas. Thought we’d get ’em started young.” Noah grins. “But I got you and K each a cookie?”

“Maybe Charlie’ll share her latte with me, what do you think?” Finn asks Eliza. 

Eliza giggles. “Dad! Charlie’s not drinking a latte!” She shakes her head. “That’s silly.”

“Oh, you’re right! I forgot, she likes mochas. It’s Harv who gets the latte!”

“Yeah, she takes after Kurt, likes a mocha. I’m hoping Eliza’ll like an Americano,” Noah offers. Finn reaches over and takes the drink tray from Noah, peering at the labels on the sides of the cups until he finds his. 

“Kurt’s going over some of those movie papers in the bedroom,” Finn says. “He’ll probably be happy to have that coffee.”

“Especially if there’s any numbers on the ones he’s looking at,” Noah says with a grin. “Safiya still here?”

“She just left. She bathed the Peas first, though, which is lucky for me since it was my turn,” Finn says. 

Noah laughs. “Yeah, I’m sure you didn’t mention it to her or anything. Did K tell you it looks like it’ll be at least next year before it films, even if everything goes as fast as possible? So at least we’re not going to be moving and filming a movie at the same time.”

“I just hope he’s making sure those papers say I get to be in the movie,” Finn says. “That’s really the only actually important thing about this business.”


End file.
